Black Bat
Cassandra Cain is the daughter of David Cain, and raised from birth as an assassin. This is not commonly known knowledge by any means but those who have personally encountered her at best. She is a close friend of Barbara Gordon and often a roommate with her. Black Bat is a silent martial artist who prowls Gotham city, primarily Bludhaven. Associated as a part timer with the Birds of Prey, also known for dancing between bullets and that shooting her is useless. Background Cassandra Cain is the daughter of none other than the Lady Shiva, possibly the top fighter in the DC universe, and David Cain. David Cain is one of the most accomplished assassins in the world who is able to do things that are normally attributed to only people on the level of the Batman. Shiva is still worshipped as a goddess for her fighting skills, and to date no-one has ever beaten her in combat without assistance. She is well known for taking out groups of super-heroes without visible effort. David Cain was inspired by a conversation he had one day with a noted neuro-sociologist by the name of Lewis Friedman. Friedman suggested that the mind's ability to learn languages was not limited to vocalization. Specifically, that a child brought up knowing only body language would create a person who could read the body like normal people hear words. Cain was fascinated with the idea, but his first attempts were utter failures. He sought out superior genetic stock. Lady Shiva appreciated the plan as well, and the two bore a child hidden away from the world. Cassandra was raised in a bunker, in the arts of combat from the day she was born. She was never allowed to interact with anyone but her father unless it was training, and never heard a word of language until her own language was fully set in her brain: body language. Her life was devoted to combat, and she was randomly ambushed and shot at any given moment to keep her mind focused on her surroundings. There was never a word of kindness, but the pair had a relationship of sorts and there is no way that Cain could have hidden his pride in his daughter from her abilities. When Cassandra was eight years old, David Cain put her in a dress and pigtails and sent her to kill her first target. She had never killed anyone, and did not really understand, but her lifelong programming took over and she tore out the mob boss' throat with a single swipe. Then, standing over him and reading his body language, she watched him die in a way that no human has ever experienced and was horrified by what he told her, what she had done. She fled and spent years on the run; ironically, her father who had trained her in stealth had done such a stupendous job that even he could not find her. Cassandra wandered the streets of the world for years, until she turned fifteen and found herself in Gotham. No trace of her existed, and found herself trapped in the city by a massive earthquake. No Man's Land. Recruited by Barbara Gordon, she quickly became an invaluable agent and a good friend. There were problems due to the unique wiring of Cassandra's brain, but this too would change over time. Batman became involved in the new arrival, having learned who Cassandra's father was. The Batman was able to communicate with Cassandra through sparring and the very limited amount of language that she was able to pick up; at that point roughly ten words in total. The language of his body won over Cassandra's trust, and she assumed the mantle of Batgirl in her own rather unique way. Driven by the guilt that haunted her over her first and only kill, she drove herself mercilessly and eventually came to accept a way of life that was not based on killing. Friendship with the Spoiler was very helpful, as it taught Cassandra the value of what she could offer others, not just limited to her combat skills. Around this time, David Cain attempted to separate his daughter from the Bat. A video arrived showing the assassination, the time that Cassandra had slain her first and only target. No explanation was offered, but on a suggestion from Alfred, Batman worked hard to determine the truth of what could be a murderer he'd inducted into the bat family. He also enlightened David Cain on his opinion of keeping children as laboratory experiments in a very instructive manner, but the tape was found to be entirely true. The revealing of Cassandra's past helped her to face the trauma of the action, but it still bubbles inside of her today. Eventually, Cassandra felt that Stephanie was acting too irrational to be worthy of her training, and Stephanie moved on to a mentorship with Batman. Cassandra's prognostication may have been correct, as Stephanie's drive to prove herself resulted in a massive civil war among Gotham's street gangs in the War Games, with Stephanie barely managing to stay alive. In a coma, the girl recovering by virtue of her own stubbornness, Cassandra has been unsure since of whether to forgive her friend for what her emotions say was a betrayal, but that her mind and logic have disagreed strongly with. So, Cassandra has been operating since then mostly on her own, working with the rest of the Bat-Family and Birds of Prey as needed, but mostly operating on her own and obsessively training as always rather than confront her own confusion. And with her past waiting in the background, ready to strike when she least expected it.. Lady Shiva, ready to collect her pound of flesh. Since then, Cassandra in the guise of Batgirl has met many super-heroes and battled villains worthy of the name, but has always had an emotional turmoil seething inside of her. Still on very good terms with the Birds of Prey, she fights alongside them from time to time but spends most of her nights on patrol in the streets, alone. Meeting the son of Batman was beyond interesting, as it gave her insight into what she was meant to become, and what she could not truly be; an assassin without peer. The return of Stephanie Brown, however, was possibly the biggest event in her young life while at the same time being one shared only by the two of them. Cassandra Cain was no longer the Batgirl. The Spoiler was ready to take on the mantle, and Cassandra finds herself figuring out where to go from there. Still, the city needs her skills and the Black Bat will be there. Personality Personality. It depends on who you are, whether you'll see the bat or the kitten, but this is a basic understanding of the personality behind the Black Bat. Reserved: To most people, Ms. Cain shows so little emotion as to seem completely robotic. She has such rigid control over her outer self that she comes across, in immediate contact, as a statue or sociopath; completely without understanding of humanity and its failings. This is part of the defense she was taught by her father. If you show your emotions through your body language, your opponent will read them and they will use them against you. This could get you killed. Soft: There is a deeply ingrained respect for life and people's emotions hidden deeply inside Cassandra. She has such a firm belief in the sanctity of life that it could almost be termed religious. This was, and is, her greatest failing in the eyes of her parents but it is so deeply a part of her being that you will see odd behaviours at the strangest times; a kiss on the cheek of a person who nobody else can see the heart within, odd little choices made. Or something much larger. Obsession: The Black Bat is unwilling to allow herself free time. Odd how that happens in the Bat family, but this aspect of herself is very dominant. She has never allowed herself to flex, give, or allow a weakness to exist. This is almost entirely a physical obsession, though nobody has ever accused her of being lax in her mental focus to date. It will happen though, as her mind is not at ease. However, she buries herself in training daily and allows no free time to the child inside. Conflicted: Cass loves very strongly. Her friends and anyone who she lays claim to as her own are more important to her than anything she has in the world, and this is the true focus of her obsessions. To protect. At the same time, she can read the body language of everyone around her and, when exposed to people for long periods of time, knows their inner hearts and the fact that they want things of their own out of her. She's growing to want things for herself, to have interests in knowing the world aside from the Cowl. And she's downright annoyed at being conflicted, since she knows her job. How do you get over having human needs, and inhuman training, when your keeper is the Batman. Rage: Deep inside is a burning, foul anger. Hidden away even from herself, but it is there. Trained to kill, she wants to do what she was brought up to do. She wants it, but this is a part of herself that will never, ever be allowed to see the light of day. Sometimes, though, that rage manifests in other ways... Logs First Player's Logs *2013-01-19 - Halal Food and the KKK - Karen Starr and Pete Wisdom talk. Cassandra snoops. A KKK drive-by! *2013-04-03 - Jokerbots Wild - A baseball game is interrupted by the Joker with his new toys - six deadly jokerbots. Birds of Prey to the rescue! *2013-04-09 - Bat-Chat - The Bat-Signal flashes across the night sky of Gotham, and Batgirl responds, and has a heart to heart with James Gordon, with few words being spoken. *2013-05-15 - Sixteen Birds in Five Fighting Rings: Part 1 - Croc Hunters - Catwoman and the Birds of Prey investigate teen disappearances. Daggett and Killer Croc involved? *2013-05-21 - Sixteen Birds in Five Fighting Rings: Part 3 - Showdown in Gotham - It's a major fight when members of the Birds of Prey join up with Commissioner Gordon to take down Roulette and Daggett's underground kidnapping fighting ring! *2013-09-07 - Six For Three - The Sinister Six decides to make some profit in Gotham City. And they thought Spider-Man was a pain, they haven't met THE QUESTION! (GG: 2013-09-07 - Sinister Six Shanghaied) *2013-09-20 - Hat Boss - The Birds of Prey follow up on Oracle's hunch about the Falcone Crime Family, and get more than they bargained for! *2013-09-23 - Babysitting - Morning breakfast is interrupted when Bruce hears from Oracle...he has a son! *2013-09-24 - Family Reunion, My Son - After discovering the existence of Talia's son, Batman is determined to rescue him even from himself. *2013-10-04 - Chemical Warfare: What is Weakness - Damian is stolen away from Bruce, and Savage has made his move. With no bars hold, Batman throws himself into protecting his family and city, even going so far as to actually ask for help. *2013-10-20 - Nerd is the Word - The Birds of Prey go into an ambush by the Cold and Clinical Calculator with their archenemy Prometheus and it all adds fuel to the fire! *2013-10-26 - Do Not Give Up - Drake returns home finally and finds the house full. After the drama, Bruce attempts another heart-to-heart with his son. *2013-12-11 - Bird Fly Free - Stephanie Brown returns to Gotham and encounters Cassandra. The two reunite, and Cassandra passes along the mantle of Batgirl to Stephanie. *2014-01-05 - A Cold Night for Crime - Some Gotham muggers have a very bad night when they try to rob the wrong superheroes. NPC'ed Logs *2014-02-14 - The Awakening: Now It Begins... - Red Hood makes his first 'visit', choosing Oracle for it. Second Player's Logs *2014-05-02 - Bludhaven Bloodbath - It starts with Starfire's cookies. It ends in a bloodbath. For a change, it's not the fault of Starfire's cookies. *2014-05-09 - The Bat and the Beast - Black Bat and X-23 engage in friendly fisticuffs. *2014-05-11 - On a Dark and Stormy Mother's Day - Cassandra, Asia and The Question are put together by a shadowy figure. *2014-05-12 - Midtown Moleman Madness - Maniacal Moleman mastering many mad minions makes mayhem amidst Midtown Manhattan *2014-05-15 - Sewing is Serious Business - Black Bat and Red Robin fix a wardrobe malfunction and talk parents. *2014-05-17 - To Thineself Be False - Cassandra is caught on camera and the government gets hold of the video! Oracle calls in The Question to assist with a Stealth Mission! *2014-05-19 - Fashion Emergency! - Cassandra panics over a small problem and overreacts hugely. Welcome to my life. *2014-05-21 - Royal Rumble - Oracle sends Cassandra and Stephanie on a mission down by the docks, but Falcone hired some extra muscle - The Royal Flush Gang *2014-05-22 - Cats Aren't All Black After Dark - A bank robbery in Gotham, and Wildcat responds! Then another one? *2014-05-25 - The start of something - First some working out and conversation at Grant's gym. Then street fighting. Feuds are created. Friendships are started. *2014-05-28 - Earth, Wind and Fire - A fallen hero in Hell's Kitchen is trailed by elemental assassins. Who will save her? *2014-05-29 - Aftermath to Earth and Fire - The heroes meet Leslie Thompkins, MD, having brought Amber in after she'd collapsed from heatstroke. *2014-06-07 - Deadpool and Dragons - Let me explain. No, there is too much. Let me sum up. Someone tries to kill Deadpool with meteors. *2014-06-08 - Shadow Ninjas - League of Assassins attack Red Hood and Black Bat, leaving a taunt behind. *2014-06-11 - Spider-Man Visits Gotham - Spider-Man encounters the Looter and gets help from Black Bat and Batwoman. *2014-06-13 - Talk Time with Monet - When Black Bat demands to know what Monet is doing in Gotham, Monet makes it easier to communicate the information. Uh oh. *2014-06-14 - Iron and Leather - Iron Lad talks Black Bat through disarming her first bomb atop a bridge of doom! *2014-06-17 - The Fall of the Black Bat - Batman encounters Cassandra in the Batcave and takes her offline due to technical difficulties. *2014-06-16 - Kasumi is Born - A rewired Cassandra Cain creates a new persona Kasumi to gather information, and things obliviously don't go as planned...blame it on Hood. *2014-06-23 - Testing One's Resolve - Kasumi is trapped like a bird in a cage, and has a chance to spread her wings if she is willing to have them clipped. *2014-06-26 - Cutscene: Solo Game - Talia asks for Kasumi's decision: Will she swear loyalty? *2014-06-28 - Charge of the Bat Brigade A team of bats assault Roulette's hideout. Talia loses her new protege, and Red Hood breaks the siege. *2014-07-06 - Battle of the Golden Age - Wildcat faces a new challenger: Bruce Wayne! *2014-07-07 A Bridge Too Far - A bridge is in trouble, heroes assemble! *2014-07-07 - Brain Broken - Life doesn't always work out as you plan, and Cassandra needs help, getting it from a very unlikely source. *2014-07-08 - Cutscene: The Princess and the Plea - Part 2 of Brain Broken *2014-07-14 - To Calm the Savage Breast - Ms Cain visits the ring, in need of Ted's help. *2014-07-22 - The Hunt Begins - Batman brings an idea to Cassandra, and Cassandra finds something important. *2014-07-26 - A Relaxing Jog - When Cassandra is bored, she goes for a run. Kara joins her. Oddly, they have company. *2014-07-30 - See How You Like It - A professional bank job is foiled, and Black Bat kills the gang leader. *2014-08-05 - Gather All Ye - The Kryptonians gather with the Bat Family to discuss Darkseid. *2014-08-14 - Everything I've Got - Cassandra Cain finally tracks down Lady Shiva - a fight occurs, and a deal is struck. *2014-08-14 - Cutscene - 365 Days - Cassandra regains her body reading ability by training under Lady Shiva. *2014-09-15 - The Hero Gotham Needs? - Superboy goes to Gotham for a visit and gets in character. *2014-09-26 - Vulture Magic? - Short scene, the Penguin hires a witch for some reason and goats ensue. *2014-10-14 - How Doomed Are You? An Online Survey - While a Red Kryptonite Super Apathetic Kara is busy on online smartphone surveys, Black Bat and Jason Lucky fight a Doombot right nearby. Click Submit to Read Log after a few fun questions. *2014-10-16 - Blowin Stuff Up In Gotham - A quiet night in Gotham turns into a gang war with some boomies. Gallery Batgirl2.jpg batgirlcass.jpg Cassandra-Cain.jpg|Cassandra in assassin/ninja gear cassandra-cain-blackbat.jpg|The Black Bat Tumblr_ltt4qooMOC1qkz9yn.jpg|A bit of a dream 909ef666e4e270cf029223ea2f965bfd.jpg|Cass with her shirt off. Yes, that's what she looks like. Just more scars. Category:DC Feature Category:DC Hero Category:Gotham Category:DC Taken